What now?

[Hobbits Mommie]

Long story short, the neighbor gave me 21 chick's. 14 Turned out to be roosters, so I had to re-home them. I thought that what I had left was 1 rooster, and the rest hens. Nope, I had 2 roosters and the hens. I got rid of the mean rooster, and kept the nice rooster. He's getting really big and beautiful.

Well, for the last two days, one of the hens half his size has been relentlessly attacking him. What am I supposed to do now?

 

[UncleDougsChickens]

Wow thats pretty bad luck haha. I guess a lot of people would just eat them but you might be able to find a home for each one. Maybe make a craigslist post or if your friend got them from a hatchery he might be able to return them or get a refund. I thought it was kinda hard to find a home for my 1 rooster so i couldnt imagine 14

 

[DobieLover]

Is your pullet drawing blood? How old are they now?
Can the cockerel get away from her? How big is their coop/run? How many feeders/water stations do you have? How much roost space?
Just because he's a cockerel does not mean he is at the top of the pecking order.
But because he is a cockerel, he will want to move up. It sounds like the head pullet is keeping him in his place.
If there is no blood, the usual action is to monitor the situation. But that depends on the answers to the questions I've asked which all revolve around adequate resources: shelter, personal space and food & water.

 

[bobbi-j]

Leave them be and let them work it out. If your birds are < 1 year old, you have a cockerel and pullets. They’re working out their flock dynamics. If the hen is an adult (> 1 year old), she may be teaching him some manners. Unless she’s drawing blood, let them be.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

Wow thats pretty bad luck haha. I guess a lot of people would just eat them but you might be able to find a home for each one. Maybe make a craigslist post or if your friend got them from a hatchery he might be able to return them or get a refund. I thought it was kinda hard to find a home for my 1 rooster so i couldnt imagine 14

I was at the feed store picking up chick feed and ran into an elderly Hispanic couple. They were beyond thrilled to take them. I felt horrible because I know that they were ultimately going to be their dinner but I had no choice.

 

[bobbi-j]

Is your pullet drawing blood? How old are they now?
Can the cockerel get away from her? How big is their coop/run? How many feeders/water stations do you have? How much roost space?
Just because he's a cockerel does not mean he is at the top of the pecking order.
But because he is a cockerel, he will want to move up. It sounds like the head pullet is keeping him in his place.
If there is no blood, the usual action is to monitor the situation. But that depends on the answers to the questions I've asked which all revolve around adequate resources: shelter, personal space and food & water.

Lots of good questions there.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

Lots of good questions there.

I am down to 5 hens, and 1 rooster (at last count). They are almost 5 months old. The coop (see pic) is 10 x 9 x 6 (I think). The run is a pretty good size as well. There are 3 roosting bars in the coop, and 1 outside. He runs from her, but no matter where he goes, she pursues him. They only have one hanging water and feed station each is 3 gallons which are inside the coop.

Also, note that the picture of the birds inside the coop are when I still had all of the roosters, and 2 turkeys. The turkeys and the mother load of roosters are now gone.

 

[imnukensc]

Put your food and water outside the coop.

 

[bobbi-j]

Are you willing or able to free range at all? That will give them some space. Get a tape measure and measure the length and width of the coop (the building part) and also the run. It doesn’t look like he has much room to get away. Adding a few hiding places can also be helpful - lean some plywood against the fence (leaving both ends open so he doesn’t get trapped), putting pallets up on cement blocks... that kind of thing. Whatever it takes for him to get out of sight.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

Are you willing or able to free range at all? That will give them some space. Get a tape measure and measure the length and width of the coop (the building part) and also the run. It doesn’t look like he has much room to get away. Adding a few hiding places can also be helpful - lean some plywood against the fence (leaving both ends open so he doesn’t get trapped), putting pallets up on cement blocks... that kind of thing. Whatever it takes for him to get out of sight.

I have 3 acres and it would be wonderful if I could free range. However, due to where I live there are far too many predators. I literally live on the edge of the Green Swamp Nature Reserve in central Florida. Everything from Eagles, Panthers, Gators, Snakes, and even wild pigs. I can however create some hiding places for him.